Seoul City Council member Kim Kyung, who is suspected of delivering 1 billion won in nomination donations to lawmaker Kang Sun-woo of the Democratic Party of Korea during the 2022 local elections, is said to be arriving on the afternoon of the 11th, one day earlier than initially scheduled. It comes 11 days after Kim left for the United States as the investigation gained traction, sparking allegations of flight.
Kim is said to have changed flights before departure, although entry had been expected at Incheon International Airport early on the 12th. The exact flight has not been disclosed.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Public Crime Investigation Unit in charge of the case has asked the Ministry of Justice to be notified immediately upon Kim's arrival. Police plan to impose an overseas travel ban and begin questioning as soon as Kim enters the country. There is also discussion of taking Kim directly from the airport to a police interrogation room.
Kim is suspected of delivering 1 billion won to Kang, who was then a nomination management committee member of the Democratic Party of Korea's Seoul chapter, ahead of the 2022 local elections.
Kim recently submitted to police a handwritten statement saying Kim "handed 1 billion won to Kang's side and later got it back." This matches Kang's explanation that, upon learning of the money exchange, Kang instructed that the funds be returned to Kim.
However, Kang's former aide, who has been identified as brokering the nomination donation, is said to maintain that the person knows nothing about it.
Kim left for the United States on the 31st, saying it was "to see a child." Kim reportedly did not meet the child. Instead, Kim was spotted on the 6th (local time) attending the IT home appliance expo "CES 2026" in Las Vegas.
While staying in the United States, Kim also quit and rejoined Telegram twice. There are also indications that Kim quit and rejoined KakaoTalk, raising suspicions of destroying evidence.